1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to large plastic containers, such as 55 gallon drums, and more particularly to an improved apparatus and method for introducing a solid mass of plastic extrudate into one portion of a blow mold and then compressing the extrudate to form a handling ring and weld it to the body of a hollow container as the container body is being formed by a conventional blow molding operation. The invention represents an improvement over the method and apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,207.
2. Description of Background Art:
A background art search directed to the subject matter of this application conducted in the United States Patent and Trademark Office disclosed the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
______________________________________ 2,269,010 2,774,992 3,115,682 3,790,329 3,849,530 3,960,474 4,086,314 4,153,408 4,215,089 4,228,122 4,378,328 4,529,570 4,659,531 4,713,207 ______________________________________
None of the patents uncovered in the search discloses apparatus and method for making a thermoplastic container, including a hollow body with a solid handling ring on at least one end thereof, wherein a solid mass of extrudate is injected, from an extruder nozzle, enveloped by at least one of a pair of moveable mold members, into an annular ring forming cavity of a blow mold that is in communication with a generally cylindrical body forming cavity of the mold, so that when the mold is closed and a parison is blown to form a container body, the extrudate can be compressed to form an integral handling ring and weld it to the container body.